The present invention relates to a ventilated cigarette of uniform flavour.
In particular, the present invention relates to a cigarette comprising a filter consisting of an inner core of filtering material and an outer cover strip connecting the said filter to the remainder of the cigarette, and in which a number of radial holes are formed through the said strip for enabling external communication of the said inner core.
When a known ventilated cigarette of the aforementioned type is drawn on by the smoker, a stream of air is forced through both the lighted end of the cigarette and the said ventilating holes. Inside the filter, the relatively cool, clean air flowing through the ventilating holes mixes with the relatively hot air and combined combustion products from the lighted end of the cigarette, so as to dilute and reduce the temperature of the smoke and so reduce the amount of nicotine and tar contained therein.
Tests performed on known ventilated cigarettes of the aforementioned type have shown that the effectiveness of the cool air flowing through the said ventilating holes diminishes gradually as the cigarette burns down. This is mainly due to the fact that, throughout combustion, the unconsumed portion of the cigarette substantially acts as a filter for the combustion fumes, and retains part of the toxic substances contained therein. Consequently, as the cigarette gradually burns down to the filter, the "flavour" of the cigarette gradually gets "stronger" as the amount of nicotine and tar in the unconsumed portion increases.
This change in flavour as the cigarette burns down, and which is accompanied by gradually diminishing effectiveness of the cool air stream through the ventilating holes, is heightened even further by the fact that the temperature of the combustion products reaching the filter increases as combustion continues, and is increasingly unaffected by the said cool air stream.